Suction "Spin"

[soapnsuds]

Happy Friday All,

Wasn't there a washer that had some type of rubber flap or something that came down and went over the clothes and then sucked the water out instead of spinning? I seem to remember seeing a video or maybe photo's? Am I crazy?

Laurent

 

[maytagbear]

It is called the Bendix Economat.

and that is a scene from Robert's "The Washers We Love and More" video (available on YouTube.)'

The Bendix Economat was not a great success. The extraction was below average, the vacuum pump was quite noisy, the seals failed with some regularity, and the tub was most vulnerable to things like forgotten pens and screwdrivers.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[volvoguy87]

The Economat.

It had the advantage of no vibration during spin because there was no spin. I think it also used a wringer washer transmission. The water drained down the center of the agitator I think. I don't know where it stood in the Bendix lineup at the time. Was it a low-end model, mid range, or high end? It was an interesting design, but too many points for failure and there were better ways of accomplishing draining and extraction.

Surely an oddball,
Dave

 

[hooverwheelaway]

...the tub was most vulnerable to things like forgotten pens

**giggles**

I can't tell you how many times I've gone looking for my screwdriver, and found it in the washer...

 

[gyrafoam]

The agitator looked like a (Filter equipped) Maytag Gyratator except----there were holes in the skirt that allowed for the water to drain out----and there was a rubber waffle-type "screen" (very likely the same thing used in the detergent chute of the F/L/s)recessed in the top of the agitator to keep small items from dropping down into the center-post of the agitator.

Fresh water bubbled up from the center-post of the agitator and overflowed into the tub.It was kool to watch. I remember them from my childhood---and also remember the people who used them for their "daily-driver" were not too enomored with them. It is possible a Westy Combo had better water extraction.

BTW "Lady Kenmore" here in Roanoke has one of these rare critters in working condition----if anyone might be interested in buying one. Very rare!

 

[filterflo]

I have a complete but unrestored Bendix Economat, in pretty good shape. The rubber tub is completely intact but is fairly stiff.......Its on my list of washers to tackle this summer if and when I get some free time.......

 

[tomturbomatic]

You never want to use a cold rinse in one of these machines; the cold rubber loses flexability and prevents extraction. They served a real need for people in apartments who were not alowed to have a machine that spun because of the vibrations. The deluxe model was an automatic. Below that was the Dial-a-Mat that you filled manually then let it go thru an agitate, drain and extract cycle. The user refilled it and started the same cycle for rinse, but with less agitation time. The Gyrator shaped agitator operating at more oscillations per minute gave really impressive water action and roll over in the wide rubber tub, but it did not have a metal spline to join it to the drive block so the plastic ridges wore down over time or the little ridges broke giving a bit of syncopation to the agitation as the tight fit loosened. In the automatic, you fill it before adding the load because the water level pressure switch is at the side of the tub and measures the weight of the water pressing outwards against it. Fabrics would change that weight and let it wash without enough water. Once it was full and agitation began, the soap or dtergent was added and then the user started adding the clothes. The washing action is so strong that the suds are pulled under water so if you were unsure about the amount of washing product, the instructions said to pull the cord from the outlet and let the suds rise to the surface of the water. If you had a couple of inches of thick healthy suds, you had enough soap or detergent in the machine. In both models, the last thing you did before closing the lid was wipe some of the water around the edge of the dome so that it sealed well when the lid was closed. Over a period of time, something could go wrong with the springs that held the lid and it would not stay completely down. Because of the weight of the dome on the lid pulling it closed when fully open, there were springs that held it safely open and there was somthing to do with the springs that made the lid stay tightly closed, I think. Friends of mine would sometimes be late in joining us outside to play because they had to sit on the lid of the Bendix so it would drain and extract. If called upon to do that today, they and I would probably crush the machine or bend the lid so that it could not be opened.

 

[mickeyd]

Tom, what a great story. You inspired me to tell mine.

Downin the old First Ward of Buffalo, an old ethnic neighborhood near the waterfront, many people had Easy Spins, but not everyone, and one day I was going over to my Aunt Lenore's (Mickey's ) with my cousin Charles. When ever we passed thru the alleyway, there was always this cute little girl in the window, reminiscent of the man in the tiny door of the Wizard of Oz's house--low window, right at the walkway, but she was a sweet heart and she loved my cousin "Tsawles" she called him, calling his name over and over. Charles would engage her and sometimes her Mom would come to the window.

On this day, I asked the mother about her washing machine. Well is it a wringer, an automatic, or an Easy, I was asking her. And she said it was a semi-automatic. Well how does it get the water out. I was all of ten years old or less, and she was indulging me but have trouble explaining her washing machine. Finally she said it "Squeezes" the water of the clothes.

A WRINGER, THEN !!??

NOT A WRINGER.......

THEN HOW ?????

THE TUB SQUEEZES THE CLOTHES.

That stuck with me forever, half a life time of wondering how did that washer squeeeze those clothes, and then two years ago, joining Aworg, I suddenly had a life-long mystery solved. And to answer the original question: the rubber tub collapses (inflates) toward the agitator, pressing or "squeezing"--as that wonderful woman described it--the laundry against the agitator.

How I'd love to see and have one. In fact, I'd much prefer that to Robert's bouncing Basket for which I'm searching diligently. Maybe he'll trade ;'D Agitation means everything to me in a washing machine and it sounds as if this is indeed the Holy Grail there. Be happy to pay good money to have one. As for the extraction problem, weak squeezing means better drip drying on the clothes line. No biggee for me. Think of the "Hang Dry" spin speed on the Kenmores, but a little wetter.

 

[westie2]

Econo Mat/Dail a mat

One of my grandmothers had the semi automatic dial a mat. She went from hand washing to this machine. Since they lived at the time in the country and did not have city or well water all water was hauled to a cistern for home use. The way she worked it was to fill the machine with a hose from her kitchen sink then start the machine and wash a load with the drain hose in the sink. It would squeeze the clothes and pump the ater out she would remove the clothes just like a wringer machine then use a bucket to put the water back in the machine would get 3 or more loads done. Then would rinse and do the same only rinseing with the water twice. When they moved to town she would let it do load for load. She finally convinced my granddad to bet her a new Whirlpool after the tub went when a nail was left in a pocket.

 

[soapnsuds]

All this talk! It's worse than Christmas!

Does anyone have a picture or something of one? I saw Robert's video on YouTube, but you know it only shows a second of it. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around a rubber tub and an agitator going through it..how the heck do you manage that? I did a search on YT, but there was only a Spanish commercial on one and it didn't show the inside or anything. Pffffft!

Thanks to all who have posted info about it. What a fun and cool sounding machine.
Laurent